The Broken in a Broken World
by Jessicavail
Summary: Haylee Rae Thornton is a beautiful, loving, young woman with only one flaw. She loves the wrong man. His name is Chase and he controls her every move, but when another man comes into her life will she let her feelings grow, or will she let the man she 'loves' control her. Will this man help her love, or decide that its to much trouble getting involved in another persons relationshi
1. Dreaming

I didn't know how much long I could survive, how much longer I could take living in a world where the dead came back. I was walking along a highway, I have no idea where I am or where I'm going, all I know is that I had to keep pushing on. The hot summer sun was burning my skin, as the moisture evaporated from my mouth. I haven't had water in a while, I still had some but only half a water bottle left. I looked around; looking past the mess of cars I noticed a car over by the side of the highway next to a tree that seemed to be untouched. I started to walk over, pulling my knife out if my belts loop holding it in my grip, awaiting the dangers that could happen any minuet. I reached the car and looked into the window, noticing that there were no bodies; I slowly opened the car door. Taking a closer look, I sighed in relief and put the knife back securely in my belt. The car was a 1999 Honda Civic; blue as the sky its self.

I looked at the ignition, of course no keys. I then moved to the glove box, opening it and saw something that made me smile, a gun. I haven't had a gun for a while now, I ran out of bullets when a horde attacked me back in Atlanta, and dropped it while running away from the said horde. I grabbed the gun out of the glove box, holding it in my hands I noticed the engraving of initials. 'H.T' , I would never know who this gun belonged to, but I was thankful for having found it. The gun was a 1911 standard semi-automatic handgun. I put the gun in my pants behind my back, covered by my shirt before I decided to continue to search the car for anything else that could be useful to me. I popped the trunk and walked over to it. There were 2 and a half bottles of water and 3 cans of beans. I was so happy that I could cry, but I couldn't; being as dehydrated as I was I couldn't muster up the tears.

I sat down by the car, happy that the tree next to it was providing shade. I held a can of beans in my hand, and with the other used my knife to cut the can open. As I got close to opening it fully, I pressed to hard and the knife came sliding onto my other hand; creating a large gash. I wanted to scream out in pain as I held my hand to my chest, the can of beans falling to the ground in front of me.

"Fuck" I said to myself out loud.

I went into my backpack and pulled out some cloth that I had, I put the cloth on my thigh as I used the sum of the water I had found to clean the wound before wrapping it. It hurt badly, but my only concern was it needing stiches or getting infected. I looked down at the can of beans, picking it up with my good hand noticing that half of it was spilled on to the hot concrete below me. I ate the rest of it, than drank some water. Having ate I grew tired, I know it must have only been about 4 in the afternoon, but it felt like I haven't slept in days. I stood up, the pain in my hand shooting up my arm as I looked around. I saw one lone zombie about a mile away, thinking nothing of it I got into the car.

I shut the door, locking all of them before reclining the seat to lie down. I stared up at the roof of the car; the brown looked dirty and stained from all the years of ware and tare. I slowly let my eyes drift close, not fearing what could happen to me in my weak state. I didn't care anymore; I wanted it to be over. As I drifted off the memories soon came to fill my dreams of the world before.

"_**Haylee, wake up!" I heard the voice of my best friend say as my green eyes slowly opened.**_

"_**What?" I asked as I looked at Alyssa. **_

"_**Come on we have to go, the boys are meeting us at 5:30 and its 4:45" She said pulling on my hand to get me to stand up. **_

_**I had fallen asleep at the park that we had stopped at to enjoy the shade in the summer's heat. I knew that we had to meet the others, but I was so relaxed that I didn't want to get up, but I did anyway. I stood up with the help of my friend. We started walking towards the road, and I looked back silently say goodbye to the beautiful park. As I looked back at my friend she was a few steps ahead of me, I took this time to actually notice her features. She was a beautiful 23 year old woman, short black hair, bright blue eyes, and had legs for miles. She wasn't fat but she wasn't skinny, but she made up in that with her height. We were walking to The Iron Horse, a bar where we all hangout. Once we arrived there we saw the two boys, Chase and Kyle. Chase was 25 with blond shaggy hair, and blue eyes. His features where beautiful, and I loved him. The other male, Kyle was a brown haired, brown eyed guy. I think he was 22, not sure all I know was that he has been in love with my friend Alyssa for about 2 years. Chase and I on the other hand had a different kind of relationship. I loved him but love in hate kind of way. In public he seemed like a loving person, but behind closed doors he was a total different person. **_

"_**Hey guys" Alyssa said walking up to the boys, and straight into Kyle's arms. **_

_**Chase walked up to me and pulled me into a hug, squeezing me a little too tight for comfort. We all walked into the bar and sat down ordering some drinks. Everyone ordered a beer while I ordered a shot, I needed something strong. After a few rounds and everyone laughing I excused myself to go to the restroom. **_

"_**Don't take too long." Chase said looking at me with a smile on his face, but anger in his eyes. **_

_**I didn't reply and just walked to the bathroom. I opened the door and walked towards the mirror. The bathroom was disgusting here; it smelled like it hasn't been cleaned in months. I looked in the mirror, at the reflection looking back at me. I didn't see that person as me; I would never let this stuff happen to me. It was me though, and I was letting these things happen to me. As much as I wanted to leave him I couldn't bring myself to do it, I loved him. I know he has a good side, it was there before and I know it will come back. I pulled out my cover-up out if my purse and put it on my neck where the purple bruise was forming. Last night I had made him angry and he slammed me against the wall, having his hand around my neck. I know it was my fault; I had been texting a guy friend I had made at work. Chase came home and asked me who it was and became jealous, taking his anger out on me. He said he was sorry afterwards, and I forgave him. **_

_**I walked out of the bathroom and back over to my friends, Alyssa eyeing me suspiciously. She knew something was wrong, but I couldn't tell her. She would over react; she doesn't know him like I know him, the good side of him. I put on a fake smile and sat down with the group. We all laughed and drank wasting the day away. By the time we were leaving it was around 11 at night. We all decided to crash at our place, I was happy about that. Whenever Chase drank the beatings got worse, unless people were around then he acted like the perfect boyfriend. While walking down the road to our house we heard screaming. We looked in the direction that it was coming from and noticed a man on the ground with another man on top of him; It looked like he was biting him. **_

"_**What in the world?" I asked looking at the strange sight across the street from us. **_

"_**Babe go help that man!" Alyssa said, fearing for that man's life. **_

_**Chase and Kyle ran across the street pulling the deranged man away from the now lifeless one. **_

"_**You son of a bitch!" Kyle yelled as he pushed the man away from him. The man that was biting the other guy now took a large chunk out of Kyle's arm. Alyssa and I ran over to them, Alyssa screamed as she saw what had happened to Kyle.**_

"_**We have to get him to a hospital now" I said. **_

_**The guy who was being attacked in the first grabbed me from behind and tried to dig his teeth into my neck but chase had punched him and got him away from me before he could. We started to run away, the hospital was about 10 minutes away. We didn't know what the hell was going on and we were running as fast as we could. What were wrong with these people, why were they like..eating each other. We were almost to the hospital when Kyle fell to the ground, Alyssa started to scream. **_

"_**Wake up! Kyle! Please!" she was on her knees next to him, tears rushing down her face; we heard more screams down the street. He was dead. **_

I woke up to someone shaking me, it was Chase.

"Get the fuck up, we don't have time for you to sleep."

"Im sorry…" I said as I rubbed my eyes with the back of my good hand.

My dream brought back the memories of the night that all this shit had happened, when the dead started to rise. We had lost Kyle that day and then a week later we lost Alyssa in Atlanta when the horde attacked us, now it was just Chase and I.

"We need to keep moving until we get out of this fucking city, did you find anything in the car?" He asked me.

"Yea, some water and food… that's it." I said, knowing that I was lying to him, I had found the gun.

"Let's get going then, you fucking wasted time by sleeping."

"Whatever" I said quietly walking past him. I didn't mean for him to hear that, but he did.

"What the fuck did you just say?"

He came up behind me grabbing me by my hair, pulling me backwards.

"Let go!" I yelled at him.

He pushed me forward and I fell to the ground. I had put my hands out to catch my fall, and regretted it instantly. I let out a pained moan and cradled my hand, I had reopened the wound. Blood started to seep through the cloth, dripping onto the ground.

"what happened to your hand?" He asked me, kneeling down to me with worry in his voice. Here was his good side.

This is how it happened all the time now, he thinks he can push me around then try to make it up by being sweet; not this time.

"Nothing, not like you care." I said as I stared into his eyes.

Slap.

Pain shook through the side of my face where his hand had hit me; I felt the tears well up in my eyes. I wasn't going to let one fall though, I wasn't going to let him have that satisfaction.

"I asked you a simple question." He said anger in his green eyes. I hated his eyes now, the scared me and always held something in them. Something he was hiding.

I didn't reply, I was done with his bull shit.

"Im talking to you!" he said raising his voice.

Still I said nothing.

He raised his hand again to slap me, I tensed up waiting for the pain but there was none. I opened my eyes when I heard a man speak.

"I wouldn't' do that if I was you." The man said. He was holding Chases arm back.

I looked at the man who had spoken, silently thanking him that he had showed up.

"Are you okay?" He asked me.

"Yeah.." I said quietly. I looked into his eyes, they were the bluest eyes I have ever seen, but they held pain in them.

His hair was blondish brown and messy, he was gorgeous to say the least.

"Who the fuck are you?" Chase asked, pulling his arm away from him.

I was so happy to see another person who was alive, a person who was like me; surviving.

"None of your concern." The man said.

"Come on Haylee, were leaving." Chase said grabbing me by the arm pulling me up to my feet.

I grasped my hand, pain shooting through it.

"Hey, we got a guy who will know how to fix that up if you want to get that looked at" The man said glancing at my hand.

I went to say something but Chase cut me off.

"We don't need your fucking help, were fine. "

I was going to say something, but with the blood loss, dehydration, and lack of food; my body gave out. Everything turned black as I passed out. The last image I had was that man's blue eyes.

**Please tell me what you think of it. I know I haven't finished my other story but my computer broke and I lost everything, so I started this one. I don't know if I'm going to continue with the other one, but I know I will with this one. I want feedback though. **

**Thank you! **


	2. Love?

I woke up feeling dizzy; I didn't even want to open my eyes. I then started to remember what had happened, how I had cut my hand, fought with chase, then that man had stopped him from hitting me. I slowly opened my eyes, looking around I noticed I was in a room, a real room. I sat up grabbing my head with my hand, and that's when I felt the thumping pain. I looked at my hand; it was cleaned and had a new wrap on it.

Where in the world was I?

I looked around the room, first I noticed how I was laying on a nice queen sized mattress. The blankets were a light baby blue and white, and softer than anything I could remember. I looked at the wall noticing a window with pearl white drapes; it was bright outside so I knew it was at least mid-day. I saw a few other things in the room but what I really noticed was a dresser with photos on it, a family. It made my heart hurt as I thought about my family and friends, and how they were all most likely dead. I pushed those thoughts away as I tried to concentrate on where the hell I was, and how I got here. I threw my legs over the side of the bed, stopping to try and gain some strength. I felt like I couldn't even lift my own body, I was drained. As I was sitting there looking at the brown hard wood floor, I heard the door open and an elderly man walked in. He had half a head of white hair, and a beard. He looked kind, but with the way the world had broken, it looked as if it had broken him to.

"Hello there." He said in a kind voice. "I'm Hershel."

I looked in to his hazel eyes; I could see all the pain.

"Haylee.." I said my voice cracking.

"Well it's nice to meet you."

"Where am I? What happened?" I said looking down at my hand, touching the gauze.

"Well Daryl said he found you guys on the highway getting into an argument, and that you had just passed out. Probably from that nasty gash on your hand, you lost a quite lot of blood. You needed stiches, and you are very dehydrated."

I looked up at him taking in everything he had just said. Daryl, was that the man who had stopped Chase?

"Thank you" I said, again looking down at my hand.

The door then opened and in walked Chase.

"Finally your awake, I was so worried." He said coming over to me, pulling me into a hug.

I knew he was lying, playing nice in front of these people.

"Thank you so much Hershel, but do you mind giving me a minuet with her alone?"

'Please don't leave.' I thought as Chase said this.

"Of course. I'll be back in to bring her some food and medicine in a little. Try not to move too much though, you're still weak. Take it easy for a while." Hershel said as he walked out of the room, leaving Chase and I alone.

I didn't say anything, but just stared at my hand, I didn't want to look at him.

"We have to get out of here. We will leave tonight." He said as he stood there. I could feel him looking at me, but I didn't look up.

He grabbed me by my hair pulling my head up so that I was looking at him.

"Did you hear me?" I could see the anger in his eyes.

"Yes.."

"Good. I have all of our stuff ready; we leave in about 4 hours."

"Maybe we should just stay here… it's a nice group and…" I was saying but he cut me off.

"Are you crazy? We don't know these people, and were better by ourselves."

"..ok.." I gave up, not wanting to start an argument.

It would be better if we didn't stay with this group anyway, we would cause them trouble. Chase went to say something again but someone knocked on the door and Hershel came back in with another man with him.

"Hello, my names Rick; Rick Grimes." This man said as he stuck out his hand towards me.

I glanced at Chase and saw that he was telling me with his eyes not to do it.

I looked back down at my hand then replied. "Haylee, Haylee Rae Thornton."

He put his hand down, looking at Chase then back at me.

"Its nice to meet you Haylee." He then turned to Chase. "Do you mind if I have a word with her alone? Hershel can show you the kitchen where you can get some food."

"Sure, that would be nice; I'm starving." Chase said following behind Hershel out of the room, but not before sending me a glance, letting me know to not say anything about our plan.

When they left Rick waited a minuet before turning to look at me.

"Daryl told me that he was hitting you when he found you guys. Is this true?"

I looked at him not knowing if I should answer his question truthfully.

I think he saw my silent debate with myself.

"Anything you say to me will not be spoken outside this room. I promise."

"Promise..everyone always promises." I was quiet for a moment. "Yes. He was hitting me. He's a good guy, just.. lost."

"You do know it's not okay for him to be putting hands on you right?" He said, taking a seat on a rocking chair that was in front of the bed I was sitting on.

I didn't say anything, I knew it wasn't okay.

"I think you guys should stay with us, I don't think your safe leaving with him alone. He can stay here with you; he seems to be nice when people are around." Rick said.

"I want to but I don't know how to get him to stay here, he wants to leave tonight; when everyone's asleep."

"Let me talk to him. For now I want you to relax." Rick said as he got up to leave. He reached the door when I said Thank you. He just nodded towards me and left the room.

I was worried about what would happen when rick talked to him, if he would let us stay. I don't want to go back out there, back to the broken world. I may not have been alone, but even with Chase I felt alone. I decided after about an hour of sitting in the room, that I needed to get out; feel the fresh air on my face. I stood up, having more strength than I did earlier; I was feeling a lot better. I walked out the bedroom and down the stairs. The house was beautiful, an old farm house. I looked around admiring the beauty when I bumped into someone.

"Im sorry." I said before I looked up and saw it was the man who had saved me, to say the least.

"Arnt you pose' to be in the room resting?" He said.

I could hear the southern accent, it made my knees weak. I had forgotten what it was like to feel butterfly's in your stomach, but being around him made them go crazy.

"Yeah, but I think I need some air." I said looking at my feet.

I was uncomfortable in my skin, I always feel like I'm doing something wrong, or that I was dirty. Chase had told me over and over again that I was dirty because of the things I let my father do to me, horrible things; it was my entire fault.

"well its gettn' late, if ya want I can walk with you aroun' outside." Daryl said, biting him thumb; his blue eyes looking right through me.

"I.. uhh. Yea I would like that." I said, a small smile dancing on my lips.

I followed behind Daryl out the front door, and out into the porch. It was around 7:30 and the sun would be setting soon, it was beautiful. The cold air hit my skin and sent chills down my spine. We walked in silence for a minute when I decided to break the silence.

"So, who are all the people in the group?" I asked as we were passing by a fire with a group of people about 5 sitting around it.

"Well there's Carol, Glenn, Maggie, Beth, and Dale. The others are most likely inside the house or in the R.V." I nodded as he continued. "You have already met Hershel, Beth and Maggie is his daughters. Then Lori she's ricks wife, and Carl is there son. Shane, T-dog, Andrea and.. well Sophia." He stopped when he said her name.

"Sophia?" I asked trying to continue the convocation. We were well away from the group now, around the side of the house towards the fence.

"She got lost 3 days back; we have been lookin' for her."

"Oh.." was all I could say.

We had stopped walking; we were standing by the fence looking out into the field. There were a few walkers but far out in the field, nothing that we had to worry about.

"You know it aint right, right?" His question threw me off guard.

"What do you mean?" I asked looking into his blue eyes.

"A man aint sopose to put hands on a woman." I could hear the anger in his voice.

"You just don't know him, he loves me.. I know he does."

"That don't look like love to me." He said stepping closer.

I don't know why, but I felt the need to defend him, they didn't know him. They didn't know his good side. They only knew what Daryl had saw and told them.

"You know it aint none of your business, he loves me. You just saw his bad side, I did something wrong and I deserved to be hit." I said letting the anger rise in my voice. I wasn't angry at him asking me questions, I was angry with the way Daryl made me feel; these butterflies. It wasn't fair.

"He don't fuckn' love you, you think he loves you when he hits you? That it will all be okay when hes done. When he says he sorry?" He was basically yelling at me.

I didn't even know this guy and he was yelling at me, talking about a man that I knew better than him. I hadn't noticed but he was standing right in front of me grabbing me by my arms as he yelled.

I couldn't help but let the tears slowly form in my eyes. I looked towards the ground to avoid his gaze. He then grabbed me by my chin, pulling my face up to his as his lips slammed against mine. The butterflies were going crazy, along with my heart. I my eyes were so wide and I was frozen in place. He then pulled away, leaving my lips feeling cold and alone.

"That aint' love." He said then turned and started to walk away. I stood there then yelled his name.

"Daryl!" I knew he heard me but he just kept walking. I didn't know this guy and he was making me feel more feelings then I have ever felt.

I stood there for a moment as the wings on his back slowly faded off. It was completely dark when I made it back to the house. I walked up to the room, opening the door there was Chase sitting on the bed.

"Where were you?" He asked me, I could hear the anger in his voice.

"I went for a walk.." I said walking past him and towards the window, looking out it into the night.

"Yeah, I saw you walk off with that guy." He was standing right behind me now.

"He was just showing me around." He turned me around staring into my eyes. I hope to god he couldn't tell that I was lying.

"That better be all. I don't want you talking to him anymore. I don't even want you near him, you understand me?" He said; hand in my hair pulling my face close to his.

"Yes.." I said barley in a whisper.

"Good." He said slamming his lips into mine. It was a hard, rough kiss. I hated it. They use to be so soft, so caring. All I could think about was how Daryl's lips felt against mine, how I kind of wished it was him kissing me now and not Chase.

"I decided that we should stay awhile. Gather some supplies and then leave." He said walking away from me to sit on the bed.

"Okay." Was all I said, I knew it wasn't his idea. I wonder what rick had said to him.

"I love you babe, I'm going to go and do some things, get some sleep." And with that he left. When he said the word love, I felt anger. Then Daryl popped into my head, replying what he said about Chase. I know I loved Chase, I have for years now. I can't just throw that away because someone was trying to break us apart. Daryl didn't know our relationship, and he should stay out of it. I was fuming with anger just thinking about Daryl, I would have to ignore him. I didn't need him, and I didn't want him. Just thinking that hurt, but it needed to be done. I wanted this to work with Chase. I love him. I lay down, and as a few tears slipped from my eyes I drifted off to sleep.


End file.
